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racialicious: how to be funny

in our now suddenly post-racial society, Racialicious has supplied a few conversations starters for a master class most of us desperately need. How To Be Funny.Of course, a lot of people think they are funny already. so maybe the master class should be titled: How to be Funny without Offending Everyone. (for the record, I am never funny)I haven't been reading Racialicious for very long, but I was indeed struck by two posts, both within the month of March.

In my last post, I linked to an ill doctrine video on how to tell someone they said something racist. What that video doesn't get into, however, is how exactly to identify those racist statements. Well, ok, the easiest way would be to consider your gut feeling. Does it make you uncomfortable? would you tell it to someone within your in-group? Would you repeat it to someone outside your in-group? why or why not? Unfortunately, some people have made a pretty good punditry telling liberals that they're being way too sensitive, it was just a joke, lighten up. considering both sides makes me wonder, is there universal humor? does all interpersonal humor play on group differences? is there a non-offensive way to play on differences for humor? Latoya Peterson draws the line a little more finely in this post by setting out some basic guidelines for satire and reminding what the focus of a joke is. And Thea Lim follows up with a reflection on a specific comedian. I love how Thea reminds us that edgy humor can be subversive, but there is still that fine line. After reading these, I feel better prepared to respond to comments my students make from time to time. and to really think twice when someone sighs after a fit of laughter "it's only funny because it's true."